Painting with Corel Painter

Impasto Painting in Corel Painter 12.2

I enjoy making decorative paintings, and this impasto painting of roses is a good example. To do the painting I had to make a few brushes. I want to make a brush that works like a palette knife, and I think I am pretty close. Here is the painting that I recently finished.

Impasto painting in Corel Painter 12.2

I like a lot about this painting, but I still need to tweak the brushes a bit more. But, before we talk about the brushes, I want to demo something that folks have requested. Notice the canvas texture in the painting; that is what I want to discuss first. I have shown this technique before in the Tips and Tricks Webinar, but I do not think many saw it. So, I am going to explain it again in this post. Incidentally, I learned this technique from David Gell at Jitter Brush, his website. To create the texture, we need to make a pattern from a paper. David supplies a wonderful brush that aids in the process…Pattern Pens Plus > WYSIWYG Paper Extractor. Do go to his site and get the Pattern Pens Brushes.

To start the process, we have to make a pattern from a paper. Not just any pattern, but a seamless pattern. Then the pattern can fill a layer. We will add a layer mask, fill it with black so the pattern will not show. Then with an opaque brush filled with white paint, we will reveal some of the pattern. It seems so simple, and it is. Here are four videos that will take you through the process.

I am unsure why the videos are not showing, but click the link takes you to You Tube to view the video. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes. I’ve tried to figure this out for a couple of hours. Rather than continue, I am going to post as is. Hopefully, they will show up correctly later. UPDATE: I figure it out. For some reason the link was posting correctly to the visual tab of the blog, but not so in the Text part. So I deleted the garbage in the Text part and recopied the links and presto…the videos appeared.

That’s it for creating paper from a pattern. I hope you enjoyed them and learned something useful.But there is more. I have made some new brushes that helped me accomplish the Rose painting. I thought it might be interesting to show you the raw brushes and how I used them. I show a few brushes that are available for download, now. I hope you enjoy these videos.

That’s all folks. I hope to see you in the New Year if not sooner. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support this year. The number of subscribers to the blog is amazing; you folks are the best. I sincerely wish you the health, happiness, and lots of money in the New Year. OK, if you do not get the money, I wish you happiness and good health.Skip

Hi Skip, This is brilliant! I love impasto but have really struggled to use it with Painter 12. Such was the poor quality of my results, I even bought Artrage just to use for impasto. Pretty pathetic huh? This tutorial is exactly what I need, and all done in your inimitable style.

Hi Alex,
I bet your results are better than you are telling us. And, I’ve used the impasto in ArtRage, too, which is pretty impressive. I think impasto is tough regardless of the program. I’m happy if my tutorials are helpful for you.
Have the Happiest…
Skip

Wishing you the best year ever Skip. I love this painting, it’s just so thick I want to poke my finger in it somewhere where it wouldn’t show…unless it is dry….then I just want to run my and over it. xo Emms

Skip thanks from an absolute beginner. Think I know why the vids are AWOL for the patterns part. Is it because the word ‘pattern’ is used for 1+2 and ‘patern’ for 3+4
When I return from vacation I’m going to experiment myself

Well dear Skip, you may not know how to spell (for me it’s a typing failure) but you sure do know how to teach, and how to share.
Thanks again for all you do for the Painter community – beginners and experienced artists.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hi Helen,
I love your work and you have been an inspiration to me. I hope others will view your website.
Here is the link for Corel Master Painter Helen Yancy:http://www.helenyancystudio.com/
Thank you so much for stopping by and making a comment. You are so special. Have a Happy!
Hugs,
Skip

Hi Skip!
This is like an unexpected Christmas present!
I have wanted a good palette knife brush, and I have never been satisfied with any, even with modifications. These look great- I cannot wait to try them.
I want you to know that you are not the only one who works with a cat. We have four cats (currently, down from seven). At least one of them is always on my lap and/or my keyboard shelf at all times. They help me immensely 🙂
Happy New Year! Thank you for all of your generosity in 2012.
Candace

Hey Candace,
The experience with my cat is new. I had a few cats years ago in my college days, but have always been a dog person. Maggie decided to come live with us; it wasn’t our decision…well…maybe a little. My bird feeders attract the neighborhood cats. I have always worked on the premise that all creatures are welcome and the cats and the mice have a very stormy relationship as you can imagine. One day I notice this rabbit that apparently was hiding under a covered bridge in the side yard. Every time I would step on the bridge the rabbit would hop away very fast. Then one day, I saw the rabbit in an open area. It didn’t notice me and I got a good look. I know my eyes are not that bad, but the rabbit was not a rabbit. It was Maggie. She doesn’t have a tail, and when she runs she has a gate that looks like a rabbit hop. Poor thing was young, not a new kitten, but close and she was so skinny. But if I showed up outside she would hop away. If I put food out, other critters would get it. So, from an upstairs window, I could see her when she came to the feeder directly below. I usually have left over chicken or something in the house, so I would drop it down to her. She would scatter, but within a few minutes would hop in and grab the loot. She caught on quickly and would come to the window and wait. Sometimes I didn’t have any left overs to drop and I would open a can of tuna and drop the whole can to her. She loved that. Then I started calling kitty kitty and walked the food out to her. By this time I was buying premium cat food in cans for her. She kept her distance, but would come up and feed with me near by. I could walk out at anytime during the day or night and call kitty, kitty and she would show up wait for her food. One night, this was during the summer, I was sitting on the bridge at around midnight. I wondered about my little friend and went back inside for some food. I called and surprisingly she responded. I had the food beside me and was about to leave, but she kept coming toward me and jumped right up next to me and began eating. I was shocked. I stroked her and she didn’t mind. After eating, she got in my lap and purred so loudly I was afraid she was going to wake the neighbors. If I wasn’t attached already, I was now. At this point, I only had one dog…usually have several. Sasha wasn’t all that enamored of cats, so I didn’t think I could bring my friend into the house. So I left her; both of us were upset. From that point one, she would come up to see me when I went out. Outside cats do not live as long as inside cats and I was smitten with this kitty. So, I picked her up and brought her inside. She was very nervous and so was Sasha. There was no turning back. Maggie, named for Saint Margaret, the Patron Saint of the homeless, doesn’t go outside anymore. She doesn’t ask to go out and will happily watch Sasha go on bathroom breaks from the door. We did ask around the neighborhood, but no one knew anything about her.
Of course she has been to the vet and we had a chip implanted. She is a tabby tortoise shell, with some interesting spots. We found out from the vet that the missing tail is natural. I decided that she had a lot of American Bobtail in her. But now I think I am wrong. Maggie is extremely affectionate and always has to be with us. She purrs with different sounds…some are similar to a sort of chirp. And of course there is the funny bunny hop. I was looking at cats on the net one day and discovered a Manx. Someone has suggested that she may have Manx in her, but I was still convinced that she was a Bobtail. Just to be sure, I looked up Manx. Guess what, they have different sounding purrs and the chirp is mentioned. The have a cute bunny hop gate. And they are extremely affectionate. Maggie even comes when we call her. That was something else about a Manx…they can learn their name. So now I have decided that she has Manx in her. It doesn’t matter; this is the sweetest kitty I have ever met. Sasha and she have become friends. All is good. I guess I need to post her picture since a number of folks have mentioned her. Don’t I sound like a proud poppa.
Thanks Candace, and I hope you and yours have a wonderful new year.
Skip

I love this kitty adventure you’ve shared. Animals have such a marvelous way in tying themselves around our heart strings. We’ve had 4 beagles over the years and really miss them. The last one died just short of 17 years of age. They all had a very good life with us and that goes both ways. Now, no dogs or cats but the squirrels have become our pets. We’ve even given them names. The first to be named was “Bell” because she would come to our patio door, stretch herself full height on the screen or jump into one of the patio chairs until we gave her her peanuts. She was pregnant at the time…several months later six new squirrels were running around. Soooo we have thought about buying stock in the peanut company, LOL. We enjoy their antics so much they even eat from our hands so gently and carefully. Nature is such a marvelous gift and Praise God for the profound joy in creation.
Maybe I missed your showing of Maggie, if not I’ll keep watching for her picture.. Thanks for sharing Maggie’s story.
Kathleen

You wouldn’t believe the number of squirrels we have, but the cutest are the chipmunks. They are one of the reasons I now keep cat food available outside for the cat visitors. They are excellent hunters of the wee chipmunks…sigh. I haven’t shown Maggie yet, but I hope to get it done soon.
Hugs

Skip I just loved these videos. Thanks for the texture instruction. I will get that WYSIWYG brush for sure.. Your palette knife brushes ,or should I say “Paint Knife” brushes, are fantastic and I’m looking forward to their unveiling.

Hi Skip
Just a very brief note to thank you for a very big favour. Despite being an amateur photographer and conventional painter for years, I have never had so much fun as when I bought Painter and discovered your tutorials. I also greatly appreciate some other folks’ contributions like from the brilliant Karen Bonaker. But your frequent gifts of how-to techniques and brushes and videos and humour bring the biggest grins and motivate lots of painting happiness — about as much happiness as one person can stand 🙂
As Mr. Spock would say: Live long and prosper!

I always enjoy your videos, and my cat, Mozart, always helps watch them by sitting on my keyboard or tablet. He was thrilled to hear your cat respond similarly when you tried to move her to a more convenient place. They are so persistent when they want attention.

Hey Judy,
Do look at the response that I gave Candace about Maggie, the cat. She dotes on attention more than any other cat I have known. I’ll tell her she has a friend named Mozart.
Big Hugs my friend and have a Happy, Happy,
Skip

I have so much trouble printing impasto paintings. I am using Corel Painter 2015 with a Epson R2880 and my impasto is not showing up on my prints on canvas. I have had this problem since Corel Painter 11
Any help would be great

Usually they recommend not adding any impasto texture when you are planning to print on canvas because the patterns might interfere with each other. Marilyn might be a good one to ask since she has her work printed out all the time.
Judy

Thanks for all of the time and care you put into this tutorial, it’s much appreciated!

I’m a children’s book illustrator working on a new project, and I’m wondering where I might be able to obtain the “Gessoed Canvas” paper that you started with in the first video. I don’t see any “real” canvas textures in my Painter 12 default paper library. If you could point me in the right direction I’d be much obliged!

Hi Steven, The Gessoed Canvas I believe is located in your default paper library. I do not have Painter 12 installed anymore, but I have been using that paper for sometime. I hate to say look again because I am sure you have looked several times. In my default papers in Painter 2015 it would be the 8th texture starting from the top left and moving right and down. If you still do not find it, you may need to do a “Shift Restart” and take Painter to its factory defaults. But if you do this, be sure to save your workspace or any custom stuff you have on your computer so you can bring it back into Painter.
I hope this helps,
Skip

Hi Skip, I have been trying out ArtRage and Painter 2015 to get a palette knife effect like your Roses in this picture. I see the Bristly Dabs download but where can I download the palette knife settings in the demo?

Hi Hugh,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I have been asked about those brushes before and there was even a thread about them in Painter Factory. I never did finish making the set called Globs of Paint, but I did make the raw set available and posted the link at Painter Factory. I really should work on those brushes again. Anyway, there is no reason why you cannot have them, too. So here is the link for the set. Globs of Paint These brushes will work in Corel Painter X3 or Corel Painter 2015, but not earlier versions. Even though I call them palette knives, they are not using the palette knife dab type. They do need work, but this should get you started. Have fun. Skip

I’m sorry to bother you. I was watching your tutorial about making a pattern from paper using a category Pattern Pens Plus, specifically the WYSIWYG Paper Extractor. I can’t find this on David’s site anymore and since I’m using Painter 2016, I was hoping you could recommend another standard brush that would work.

Hello Skip
If I end up with duplicate comments feel free to delete this.
I thank you for your sharing of knowledge and I would like to ask the same than Chuck above, if you can send me the category that is not available anymore,
Thanks again
Diego

Hello! I bring to you greetings from Russia!
Excellent video tutorials , the best of those that I have seen !
I am sorry for your English grammar . But
I have one small question :
I can not find here the brush – “palette knife 6b” – you use it in your video tutorial .
Set “Bristly Dabs” it does not contain . Where you can find it ?

When I did those tutorials, I was working on palette knife variants and impasto variants. I created a set called Gobs of Paint, but I never finished the set. Palette knife 6b is included in the set, but I do not know if it is still the same variant. I continued to tweak the variants…so it is possible that it has been changed since I did the videos.

What version of Painter are you using? If you will tell me that, I will send you the Gobs of Paint category that will work with your version of Painter. I will email the category to the email address connected to your comment.

Hi Skip. Like others here I really appreciate what you’ve done here, but I cannot find the WYSIWYG Paper Extractor as David’s site is no longer active. Are you able to send it to me – I am running Painter 2016. Thanks, Chris

Hi Chris,
Yes, I can make it available and will do so, but you will have to wait a little while. When David decided to close Jitterbrush he told me that I could post any of his stuff on the blog. His plan was to close the site on July 9th. So I downloaded all his stuff and started preparing to post it all on the blog. But on July 8th, my sister fell and injured herself. I am her only family, so I have been at her house in MS helping with her care. All of David’s stuff is back at my home in GA. I should be returning home in a few weeks. At that time, I’ll post David’s wonderful brushes and other stuff for everyone. Sorry I can’t help right now. Enjoy, Skip

Skip I really love everything you have here, but would love to get my hands on Davids brushes that I keep hearing about, a year ago you said you’d be posting them in a few weeks. Do you still have them? If so, is there any way you can post them? Thanks

Hello Skip.
I loved the pallet knife/brush used in your Rose painting.
Saw that you posted a “Gobs of Paint” set in Painter factory, but that they will only work on Painter 16 and above. I am still working in Painter 12.2 is there any way that I might be able to get the “Gobs” brushes that will work in Painter 12.2. I would lke to upgrade but I am still using Snow Leopard on my Mac Pro for now.
Best,
Daniel Hicks

Hi Daniel, I would be glad to create the brushes for 12.2 if I could, but I would need 12.2 version to do it. I no longer have that version installed. Currently, I have installed 2015, 16, 17, 18. 19. and 20. Any variants I created in 12.2 will work in any later version, but unfortunately the reverse is not true. I keep 5 to 6 versions active for this very reason…so I can help those who choose not to upgrade. But, I do have to keep my operating system current and that means some of the older versions no longer work. I am so sorry, but I cannot help with your request. Enjoy, Skip

Thank you Skip. Long gone are the days when the program was updated when they had genuine significant changes to make. Ever since X3, it seems the program has been updated every year, Which I truly wonder if it is for the best. Sometime I will update to the latest, but honestly, I am still learning 12.2. There is a lot to it, All of the versions I’m sure. Thank you for your reply. Wishing you all the best & grateful there were some brushes I could download.